Reading Festival 2013: New Found Glory

Bursting onstage in front of a banner that boldly declared “Pop Punk isn’t Dead,” New Found Glory wasted no time in rousing the crowd. Frontman Jordan Pundik launched straight into Understatement, soon cajoling a synchronised handclap out of the assembled masses.

The band blistered through their set like men on a mission, trying (and almost succeeding) to perform their 2002 album, Sticks and Stones in its entirety. Crowd-pleaser My Friends Over You drew a jubilant roar from the fans, although the remainder of the set didn’t seem as readily recognisable to majority of the audience. To his credit, Pundik never flagged in his attempts to elicit some kind of sing-along, and while the spectators may not all have known the words they were more than willing to jump around as if their lives depended on it. For those old enough to remember and cherish Sticks and Stones, it was a nostalgic whirlwind of catchy, energetic hits.

Though the band don’t quite whirl around the stage with the frenetic energy of men in their 20s (and bassist Ian Grushka’s infamous stomach tattoo is certainly more convex than once it was), the intensity packed into the performance belied the brevity of the set. The concert was a reminder of the reasons the group were so huge in the early 00s, and served as the perfect appetizer to the main course of Greenday dished out later in the evening.

Pop-punk might be starting to show its age, but if this performance was anything to go by, it’s certainly alive and kicking.

Verdict: ★★★★★

Edmund Cuthbert
Photo: Alex Meagher

For further information about New Found Glory and future events visit here.

For further information about Reading Festival visit here.